This story was originally published November 6, 2015.
There were 2,867 fatal accidents on major American interstates in 2013, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Association. That's about 8 a day.
Vox compiled data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to rank the country's deadliest interstates.
The results show that I-285 in Georgia had more fatal accidents per mile than any other interstate in 2013.
The interstate surrounding the city of Atlanta had a total of 26 fatal accidents resulting in 29 deaths that year.
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Top 5 interstates for most fatal accidents per mile in 2013
- I-285 in Georgia
- I-710 in California
- I-240 in Oklahoma
- I-495 in Delaware
- I-240 in Tennessee
Read more information and find a complete list of deadliest interstates in the U.S. here.
Georgia is the seventh-worst state in the country for fatal car accidents in total (1,085 incidents in 2013). Texas ranked no. 1, with 3,044 deaths from car accidents in 2013.
I-285 has been the scene for several high-profile deaths this year.
In January, a 53-year-old woman was struck by multiple vehicles and killed while walking across I-285 westbound. Two weeks later, a 28-year-old man was fatally struck by a car after pulling over in the emergency lane and walking across the interstate.
UPDATE: After reviewing the study, the Georgia Department of Transportation released a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
While this study does not take into account important factors, such as the amount of motorists on these highways or the cause of these fatalities, the fact remains that one death on our roads is too many. GDOT continues to move forward with projects in this corridor that enhance safety and operational efficiencies including re-surfacing, re-striping, signage projects and interchange improvements. Additionally, the Georgia DOT has launch the Drive Alert Arrive Alive campaign to bring attention to what drivers can do to help make our roads safer by reducing distracted and impaired driving.
More facts about highway safety
- Car occupants were 40 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in Georgia in 2013. Pickup and SUV occupants were 28 percent and pedestrians were 15 percent.
- Most motor vehicle crash deaths in Georgia occurred in urban areas (53 percent) in 2013.
- Most deaths by car crashes in Georgia resulted from single-vehicle wrecks (59 percent), higher than the national average of 57 percent in 2013.
- In 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated four carriers involved in crashes that, together, resulted in 25 deaths and 83 injuries.
- Georgia did 20 percent fewer truck inspections from 2011 to 2014, and removed 30 percent fewer trucks and drivers from the road for violations.
- Gov. Nathan Deal moved to spend $10 million in 2013 to add 60 road safety inspectors back to the roads.
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